Bill Benson is a native of Massachusetts, traveling to Maine several times a year since the age of two. After graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 1990, Bill joined the Army where he spent 24 years across 7 states and 5 countries before retiring as a Colonel in 2014.
After the Army, Bill and his family moved to Gorham where he owned and operated a manufacturing company specializing in custom wood products. After successfully running and selling his business, Bill was recruited to be Executive Director of Boots2Roots—a nonprofit with the mission of helping Veterans and spouses transition to work in Maine. During his time at Boots2Roots Bill worked closely with the State of Maine, businesses, nonprofits and other stakeholders to provide a pathway for military servicemembers from all over the world to find successful employment and put down roots in Maine. Seeking new challenges, in 2025 Bill took a newly created position at MaineHealth and now works as Director of Security Operations Support.
In addition to his undergraduate degree Bill enjoys an MA in education from Tennessee Technological University and a Masters in Operational Art and Strategy from the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS. Bill served a three-year term on the Gorham School Committee, two years on the board of appeals and is starting his second three-year term on the Gorham Planning Board. He also devotes time to the Gorham VFW post, 100 Men Who Care and the Boy Scouts. Bill is a graduate of “Leadership Maine” class of 2023.
